Massachusetts is extending EV subsidies to medium and heavy-duty trucks
The program will also increase rebates for vehicles destined to be used in low-income, high-pollution areas.
Trucks like Freightliner's electric eCascadia could be eligible for up to $90,000 in subsidies in Massachusetts.
Most electric vehicle subsidies are aimed at regular folks buying electric passenger cars for personal use. What do you do, though, if you're a business owner and you want to take your small fleet of medium or heavy-duty vehicles to Electric Avenue (figuratively speaking)? Well, if you live in Massachusetts, you're in luck, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Boston Globe.
Specifically, the state of Massachusetts has set aside $10 million for electric vehicle subsidies for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. Rebates will range from $7,500 for electric pickups, while semi rucks qualify for a not-inconsiderable $90,000, with rebate amounts set to go down as vehicle prices drop.
An interesting aspect of this program is that the state will incentivize electric vehicles more heavily if they're going to be operated primarily in low-income areas. This is because low-income neighborhoods tend to suffer more from poor air quality, and these electric trucks could help offset some of that.
The catch to all of this is that currently the offerings for electric medium and heavy-duty trucks are minimal, but Paccar, Freightliner and Volvo are set to bring electric models to market this year.
